Facebook expands into the metaverse with rebrand
Facebook has great ambitions for the future of our interaction with technology. Should we be scared or excited? The metaverse, Facebook’s new long-term project, is already in full swing with plans to create over 10 000 jobs in Europe alone. But what is the metaverse exactly? The company describes it...
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Climate paper says Bitcoin mining is putting vulnerable nations at risk
A new climate paper suggests that the carbon footprint of cryptocurrency is on the rise. Putting already vulnerable nations at further risk, experts are now calling for a global ban to ‘proof of work’ transactions. We’re slowly getting our heads around the confusing and ever-changing world of cryptocurrency. Putting aside the...
Jeff Bezos unveils ‘space business park’ Orbital Reef
The International Space Station may soon have commercial competition, as Jeff Bezos announces plans for a ‘space business park’ launched by his company Blue Origin. Following his successful rocket launch earlier this year, Jeff Bezos’ space tourism company Blue Origin has announced plans to create and launch a space station. This...
Donald Trump to launch new social media platform ‘Truth Social’
After being banned from both Twitter and Facebook, Trump has announced he will be launching his own platform called ‘Truth Social’. Could it become a success? Former US president Donald Trump has announced he will be releasing a new social media platform called ‘Truth Social’ early next year. In a statement,...
Crypto investors raised $40 million to buy a copy of the US Constitution
Pipped at auction by a late bid, crypto investors were close to purchasing a rare and early copy of the US Constitution for over $40 million. Is a practical purchase ever made using cryptocurrency? Whether we’re talking of the multi-million dollar sales of eight bit gifs, the early year hijacking of...
You decide – is facial recognition technology essential for public safety?
Facial recognition software has been controversial since it’s conception, but news that it will be implemented into London's security cameras has sparked widespread concern over its potential for abuse. If you live in London, the CCTV capital of the world, you are captured by security cameras at least 300 times...
AstroAccess to advance disability inclusion in space travel
In efforts to expand space travel beyond billionaire tech tycoons and hyper trained astronauts, AstroAccess is advancing Zero-G experiences to include the disabled. As industries go, space travel is arguably one of the very least accessible out there. However, efforts are underway to change that. Leading an inclusive space charge, a non-profit called Mission: AstroAccess has started organising Zero-G flight experiences for people with mobility or sensory disabilities. On Sunday (October...
Is climate change dimming the Earth’s shine over time?
The planet has dimmed by 0.5 percent in 20 years. Researchers believe climate change could be responsible. Half a percent of dimming in 20 years may not sound like a huge deal, but considering the Earth is 4.5 billion years old it isn’t exactly great. When talking about the Earth losing its shine, we aren’t referring to Mars exploration being the hot new topic in planetology, or making a bleak metaphorical...
New Instagram and Twitter updates target harmful online behaviours
The latest Twitter update will prompt users to reconsider the ‘vibe’ of a heated discussion, while an Instagram ‘nudge’ feature aims to steer teenagers away from harmful content. Despite a newfound urgency in recent years to finally address online hate and content tied to adverse mental health, the big social media platforms are still accused of being too reactionary and not proactive enough. When it comes to Gen Z specifically, the...
EU pushing Apple to change its phone ports to USB-C
Despite slowly removing accessories and ports from its devices straight out of the box, Apple could soon be forced to change all its iPhone ports to USB-C to reduce their overall environmental impact. Anyone who’s purchased an iPhone in the last few years (which is, statistically, probably most of us) will have noticed that the box contains less accessories than it used to. Apple no longer includes a charger brick...